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Old 09-24-2014, 02:19 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
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THOR #1150
Thor Axis 24.1 Owner

Hello,
We've had our 24.1 since February and are located in Southeastern Michigan (didn't do much with it until April due to our nasty winter we had).

So far no issues with it and love it. We've put about 2000 miles on it with local camping and a trip to St. Louis.

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Old 09-25-2014, 12:42 AM   #2
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Hi, Man that is a nice looking Class A. Question: do you think from your travels in it so far that you could live in it for 3 months or so. I'm wanting to leave the cold country in the extreme end of the winter here in Colorado and roam around the warm country. Easy to drive and park in towns? Any other comments you'd like to make would be welcome.
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Old 09-25-2014, 02:04 AM   #3
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That would depend on how many of you are living in it?
It would be very easy for one or two people to live in it for quite some time; any more than that and it gets pretty cramped fast. You do get tired of the small shower pretty quickly.
As for driving: It drives much like a large van. It is very easy to drive around in the smallest of places. We went from an F-350 pulling a 31ft 5th wheel to the Axis and its night and day easier--its even easier to maneuver the Axis compared to the F-350 alone.
I do have a small nitpick with the driver seating though: With the slide behind the drivers seat it is difficult to get a comfortable position for anyone my height or taller (5'10"). Moving the seat back for your legs means you have to have it more upright since it can't recline against the slide (thus hurting your back). So you have to slide it forward to get the proper recline angle but then your legs are cramped.. I'm sure the more I drive it around I'll figure out the optimal position.
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Old 09-25-2014, 02:16 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
That would depend on how many of you are living in it?
It would be very easy for one or two people to live in it for quite some time; any more than that and it gets pretty cramped fast. You do get tired of the small shower pretty quickly.
As for driving: It drives much like a large van. It is very easy to drive around in the smallest of places. We went from an F-350 pulling a 31ft 5th wheel to the Axis and its night and day easier--its even easier to maneuver the Axis compared to the F-350 alone.
I do have a small nitpick with the driver seating though: With the slide behind the drivers seat it is difficult to get a comfortable position for anyone my height or taller (5'10"). Moving the seat back for your legs means you have to have it more upright since it can't recline against the slide (thus hurting your back). So you have to slide it forward to get the proper recline angle but then your legs are cramped.. I'm sure the more I drive it around I'll figure out the optimal position.

I'm only 5ft 7 or so. Does that make the seat a non prob? And as to your comment about "it depends on how many people" , i am single and will be alone. No cats or dogs either. Does it have enough room to make it feel like a small living room and then bedroom in the back as if it was "home". ? that's all i'm looking for. appreciate the comments.
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Old 09-25-2014, 02:35 AM   #5
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You should find a dealer with one near you to look for yourself.

When the slide is out the front area is still small but comfortable for lounging around and watching TV. You can setup the front table and use that for dining, etc. while leaving the larger table stowed--we frequently leave it in this configuration (the front table ends up collecting all the stuff like the campground map/newspaper, mobile devices being charged, drinks, etc. You can still leave the front table in even when you lower the front bed.

The back bedroom is pretty much all bed. The beds are huge, and can be made into one very large bed.

Being a few inches shorter than me will make the driving position more comfortable. That nitpick could also be just me needing an odd angle to sit..

You may also want to consider the larger 25.1 floor plan, it may be more usable for long duration stays.
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Old 09-25-2014, 02:46 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
You should find a dealer with one near you to look for yourself.

When the slide is out the front area is still small but comfortable for lounging around and watching TV. You can setup the front table and use that for dining, etc. while leaving the larger table stowed--we frequently leave it in this configuration (the front table ends up collecting all the stuff like the campground map/newspaper, mobile devices being charged, drinks, etc. You can still leave the front table in even when you lower the front bed.

The back bedroom is pretty much all bed. The beds are huge, and can be made into one very large bed.

Being a few inches shorter than me will make the driving position more comfortable. That nitpick could also be just me needing an odd angle to sit..

You may also want to consider the larger 25.1 floor plan, it may be more usable for long duration stays.

Yep, I plan to look at the 24.1 and the 25.1 soon. Am plotting out the available dealers. I just really want feedback from those folks who have bought one and who are actually traveling in one. It helps to get a feel for how i would feel later upfront if you get my drift. I'm a newbie as you probably figured out by now. Not certain i'm even the type who would enjoy the lifestyle on the road. Not really into camping as much as traveling and seeing the country without spending a $100 a night on bed bugs.
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Old 09-25-2014, 08:02 AM   #7
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Nice rig.
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Old 09-25-2014, 10:04 AM   #8
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I hear ya Teeitup26. We aren't your typical campers either. We view camping as "bringing a piece of home with us when we go sightseeing". We typically use private campgrounds with full hook-ups instead of the more rustic state parks. We are also kind of newbies: This is our first motorhome after over a decade with a 5th wheel and trailers before that.

Thanks FW28z.
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Old 09-25-2014, 06:00 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Teeitup26 View Post
Hi, Man that is a nice looking Class A. Question: do you think from your travels in it so far that you could live in it for 3 months or so. I'm wanting to leave the cold country in the extreme end of the winter here in Colorado and roam around the warm country. Easy to drive and park in towns? Any other comments you'd like to make would be welcome.
Hey Teeitup26,

We've had our Axis 24.1 for 2 months now (purchased in late July) and my wife and I are thoroughly enjoying it. Seems to have ample room for the two of us and our dog (70 lb. Lab mix) so I think you would find it comfortable being on the road in it for a few months. It's actuallly fun to drive with the large, full view windshield but it does have a couple of blind spots where the side windshield posts connect. Just a matter of peeking around though. No big issue. Has good power and maneuverability. This is our first motorhome but had a <20 ft. Starcraft Antigua tag along previously.

We picked the 2015 Axis up In Elkhart, IN and only had 30 miles on it as the Thor factory is nearby. We then drove it home to GA across all type of terrain and put 950 miles on it right away. This gave us ample time to become accustomed to it and it hasn't dissapointed us. Have been on a few short camping trips since then and are going to the gulf coast this weekend.

The dealership there in Elkhart (Total Value RV) was more than accomodating in taking care of some quality issues we came across plus they gave us a better price than anywhere else near and far. I would suggest contacting them if you are serious about buying one. Sales and service there is excellent. Don't think you would be dissapointed.

Hope this helps in some way.
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Old 09-25-2014, 08:24 PM   #10
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Congratulations on your purchase. We hope to own one soon too. I happy to see good comments.
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Old 09-25-2014, 08:56 PM   #11
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Great looking rig, Jamie. Enjoy and safe travels.
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Old 09-28-2014, 03:00 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
I hear ya Teeitup26. We aren't your typical campers either. We view camping as "bringing a piece of home with us when we go sightseeing". We typically use private campgrounds with full hook-ups instead of the more rustic state parks. We are also kind of newbies: This is our first motorhome after over a decade with a 5th wheel and trailers before that.

Thanks FW28z.
I appreciate your feedback JamieGeek. I'm curious, are the private campgrounds usually a little cleaner with let's say less noisy neighbors? How do you like the Thor product so far when compared to your 5th wheel and trailers in the past. I looked a trailers and man they are cheap built. Couldn't go that way. I'd be a total newbie so i'm trying to gather as many opinions from people like you who are out there on the road. I play golf so i would be traveling and finding golf parking lots to hang in. I work at the Battlement Mesa Golf course on I-70 near Glenwood Springs in the summer. We have quite a few motorhomes camping in the remote area of the parking lot. As long as they teeitup while in the lot, the GM doesn't seem to care as long as they don't "set up camp" so to speak. Had one guy running the generator and it didn't seem to upset anyone. Depends on how fancy the place is i suppose. We're pretty laid back here. Thanks. appreciate any more comments you'd like to make about the unit. I'm very interesting in the 25.1 when i can find one.
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Old 09-28-2014, 03:09 PM   #13
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Hey Teeitup26,

We've had our Axis 24.1 for 2 months now (purchased in late July) and my wife and I are thoroughly enjoying it. Seems to have ample room for the two of us and our dog (70 lb. Lab mix) so I think you would find it comfortable being on the road in it for a few months. It's actuallly fun to drive with the large, full view windshield but it does have a couple of blind spots where the side windshield posts connect. Just a matter of peeking around though. No big issue. Has good power and maneuverability. This is our first motorhome but had a <20 ft. Starcraft Antigua tag along previously.

We picked the 2015 Axis up In Elkhart, IN and only had 30 miles on it as the Thor factory is nearby. We then drove it home to GA across all type of terrain and put 950 miles on it right away. This gave us ample time to become accustomed to it and it hasn't dissapointed us. Have been on a few short camping trips since then and are going to the gulf coast this weekend.

The dealership there in Elkhart (Total Value RV) was more than accomodating in taking care of some quality issues we came across plus they gave us a better price than anywhere else near and far. I would suggest contacting them if you are serious about buying one. Sales and service there is excellent. Don't think you would be dissapointed.

Hope this helps in some way.
Larry, I appreciate all the information. I am going to go online and let Total Value RV know i'm contacted a happy customer if I may without mentioning any names of course. If you're ok with parting with the information how much off the MSRP would it be prudent when making an offer. I'm hearing al lot $71,000 numbers on the 24.1 and one guy bought one for $67,000. As far as buying from a dealer like Total Value; when you need service in some other part of the country, does the friendliness continue? I would think when i person buys an RV he is almost never close to the dealer where he purchased when encountering problems. One of the good things about the Thor product is the E-350 Ford chassis can probably be serviced anywhere when having mechanical problems at any Ford Dealership with a 1 ton truck lift right?
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Old 09-28-2014, 07:35 PM   #14
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Ok Teeitup26: Long post warning.

Private/public campgrounds: We usually stay at private campgrounds because they have full hookup sites. Its very rare to find a public campground with full hookup sites. As a result private campgrounds are typically smaller, you are much closer to your neighbor and fewer trees for shade (simply because it costs a lot more to run those sewer pipes around so they put them close together and they have to yank the trees as well). As a consequence we really don't use the campground facilities much because we use our camper. When travelling for long distances we typically will stay at KOA's--much like McDonalds you always know what you'll get when you go to a KOA (and since we're just overnighting anyway its not that big of a deal).

Quality/trailer/etc.: We traded in our F-350 and our Cougar 5th wheel for the 24.1 (Cougar 5th wheel was this model 2006 Keystone Cougar 281efs, Center Conway NH - 113186689 - RVTrader.com ). That 5er had a huge slide down the side and was very roomy. The 24.1 in comparison could be called cramped (but we were looking to downsize and wanted something more maneuverable than 50+ feet going down the road). The 24.1 is that and spades. The interesting thing is storage: Most 5th wheels have a huge storage area under the front bedroom (typically called the "basement"). We were able to fit everything we had in the 5th wheel into the 24.1 except for one lawn chair. I was very impressed.
In your case you'll have to consider storing your golf clubs. The 24.1 has a huge through-the-back storage area under the beds which is perfect for them. The floorplan on the 25.1 doesn't have that (if you look at the specs:
2015 Axis Motorhomes: Class A RV by Thor Motor Coach the 25.1 only has 48 cu ft of exterior storage, the 24.1 has a whopping 63 cu ft).

Purchase process: I'm not sure how much research you've done on buying an RV so I'll go a little into it here. RV manufacturer's don't have the same kind of quality control as car companies. Thus you have to be a bit more of a tough customer to the RV dealership. Being a newbie you'll have to do some research otherwise the sales people will see you coming a mile away. I'd start by finding a delivery checklist (like this one: RV Inspection Checklist ) go over it, print it out and bring it with you when you pick up the RV. Have the dealership show you everything (open panels, take off the beds to show you the plumbing, how to winterize--even if you never will, etc.). Take lots of notes. If you find anything wrong with it make sure they fix it before you leave the dealership. In addition if you're going to pick it up out of state from where you live I'd camp for a few nights near the dealership so you can learn it and use it before driving off (some really good dealers have their own campground next to the dealership so you can spend the first night in it right there). If you find anything wrong with it you can take it back and have them fix it before going home.

E-350 chassis: Both models use the E-350 chassis with the V-10 engine. This is our 3rd V-10 (prior to this our F-350 and an earlier F-250 we had both had the V-10). The V-10 is a great engine for an RV and will last many miles when taken care of (much like any engine, our F-250 had 140k miles on it when we traded it for the F-350). Its an overhead valve design which means it is perfectly happy winding out to high revs (a lot of first time V-10 owners get a little nervous when the RPMs pick up. Rest assured we pulled our Cougar through the mountains with the V-10 screaming all the way with no damage at all to the engine). It also makes for a pretty peppy camper LOL.
It will need to be aligned once you pick it up (unless you can negotiate for the dealer to get that done for you). Note that there is an alignment thread around here (with discussions about the E-350 and Ford's F-53 chassis). Ours was more than an inch out of alignment when I had it done. I had to find a local truck shop to get it done (they were quite amused to see our little tiny 25' motorhome pulling into the shop filled with semi-trucks).
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:11 AM   #15
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I looked at the 24 and 25 this weekend and found the 25 did not have an adequate full time bed. I liked the shower/sink combo much better but I think we will go with the 24 because of of the more useable bed. My wife wants a bed that does not have to be taken apart each day and stays in place.

There are trade offs with both but I think the 24 will fit more needs. I really wanted a better full time bed for the 25. It it had one I would have bought it Saturday.

Anyone else feel the same way that has seen both?
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:14 AM   #16
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I looked at the 24 and 25 this weekend and found the 25 did not have an adequate full time bed. I liked the shower/sink combo much better but I think we will go with the 24 because of of the more useable bed. My wife wants a bed that does not have to be taken apart each day and stays in place.

There are trade offs with both but I think the 24 will fit more needs. I really wanted a better full time bed for the 25. It it had one I would have bought it Saturday.

Anyone else feel the same way that has seen both?
Ok, what's that mean,"wanting a better full time bed"? I'm a newbie. go easy.
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Old 09-29-2014, 02:16 AM   #17
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I believe he just means that the bed is there all the time (e.g. it is a bed full time).
The 25.1's beds all convert to something else--even the one in the back.

I'm hoping to see a 25.1 this weekend (its our local fall camper show) for myself simply because I'm curious.
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Old 09-29-2014, 02:20 AM   #18
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I believe he just means that the bed is there all the time (e.g. it is a bed full time).
The 25.1's beds all convert to something else--even the one in the back.

I'm hoping to see a 25.1 this weekend (its our local fall camper show) for myself simply because I'm curious.
Let me know if you consider it a non-fulltimer type bed, where it's not really a bed but a sofa that people use when they are going to football games and camping out for a night. This thing is being hyped as a RUV; in other words, not a real house on wheels, just a big SUV with a temporary bed. I do want a small Class A, just not a juiced down vehicle not really a camper.
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Old 09-29-2014, 11:46 AM   #19
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Wait! Stop the presses...there is a 3rd floorplan for the Axis!! Look at this flyer:
http://thormotorcoach.com/media/docu...2014-08-22.pdf

The 24.2 model. Very interesting. I wonder if one of those will be at our camper show.

From the looks of it this is a rear kitchen model. That would seem to open up the main area a bit more but now your sleeping options are limited to: the drop down bunk, the hide-a-bed, and the small dinette. In this case I'd bet your "main" bed would be the drop down bunk (it can hold 500lbs). This model looks to be more of a tailgater type of unit: It has seatbelts for 7 but not sleeping for 7 and a bit more counter space in the kitchen.

Oh yeah another thought too: For more storage do NOT get the range/oven combo. Just get the cooktop (you'll get 2 or 3 extra drawers for storage) then get the optional convection microwave (you'll have a combo oven/microwave). We had an oven in our 5th wheel and we used it once in 10 years. We got the Axis configured this way: The combo convection/microwave works quite well as an oven.
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:35 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by Teeitup26 View Post
Larry, I appreciate all the information. I am going to go online and let Total Value RV know i'm contacted a happy customer if I may without mentioning any names of course. If you're ok with parting with the information how much off the MSRP would it be prudent when making an offer. I'm hearing al lot $71,000 numbers on the 24.1 and one guy bought one for $67,000. As far as buying from a dealer like Total Value; when you need service in some other part of the country, does the friendliness continue? I would think when i person buys an RV he is almost never close to the dealer where he purchased when encountering problems. One of the good things about the Thor product is the E-350 Ford chassis can probably be serviced anywhere when having mechanical problems at any Ford Dealership with a 1 ton truck lift right?
Teeitup26,
This may be long.
JamieGeek has some really good advice there. If you haven't already gone on line to Total Value In Elkhart and inquired (and even if you have actually) speak with Ivan who is the owner's son and works with the sales folks. It's fine to mention to Ivan that you were referred by Larry and Candy from GA. I plan on sending him an email and letting him know that his great service is being rewarded by recomendations from us anyway. After we checked many dealers on line and also asked TV for their best deal on the Axis 24.1 either 2014 or 2015, TV came in with the better price on the '15 than any others on a '14. The 67K price you mentioned is in line with the quote we received and the others were all above 70K many w/o the optional equipment we got on ours. We have all the optional equipment included with exception of the oven underneath the gas range which would eliminate more cabinet storage (2 drawers) and we don't cook with our gas range anyway. All cooking done outside or with the convectional m/w inside. We love the TV outside feature as we enjoy watching sports (especially college football) and the bedroom TV is nice to have also. The ceiling vent fans are a nice feature as well. Remember that sales tax is not included in the price quoted and we knew up front that we would be paying this when we registered it in GA.
If you do decide to go with T. Value, they sell them as fast as they can get their quota. We had to wait a few extra weeks for delivery to them on ours.
We just returned from a 700 mile round trip this past weekend and are still enjoying it immensely. Love the handling and maneuveurability on the Interstate as well as side streets. Gas mileage running just under 10 mpg driving it at 65. So really, we haven't found a lot to complain about with it.
As far as maintenance service, as long as records are kept so warranties aren't voided, you don't have to take it in to a Thor dealer. And if any warranty work is needed, a Thor senior customer service rep. told me I could take it to my favorite shop near me with the only possible drawback being if their price was too much out of line with a dealer's pricing, I might have to pay the difference. Said if it is close, there would be no disputing it.
Yes, you could take it in anywhere that a shop could support the weight on their racks who would do the work.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your search and purchase. I think you won't be dissapointed with the Axis or Vegas.
Hit 'um straight!

Larry
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